Sweet Victory and Just Desserts
by SteveElOtaku
Summary: After Turbo's demise, Vanellope is enjoying her life with her friends Ralph, Felix, and Calhoun. And she's got some new friends, too! Including someone who might be a little bit more! But danger is lurking around every motherboard, and her life is going to get a whole lot more exciting... (Co-written with my friend Ariel). Rated T to be safe for some later chapters.
1. The Taste of Friendship

Chapter 1: The Taste of Friendship

"The winners are...Vanellope Von Schweetz! Taffyta Muttonfudge! Candlehead! Adorabeezle Winterpop! Minty Zaki! Rancis Fluggerbutter! Jubileena Bing-Bing! Snowanna Rainbow! And...Crumbelina DiCaramello! See you at opening time!"

With that, the nightly race was finished. Vanellope began to wander back to the palace, but was stopped suddenly.

"Umm...President Vanellope?"

Taffyta Muttonfudge had followed her with a nervous look on her face.

Vanellope turned around and gave a sincere smile. A lot had changed since their memories had returned.

"What's going on, Taffyta?"

Taffyta blushed slightly and hung her head.

"Oh, don't tell me it's about coming in second.."

She shook her head.

"No, it's..um, about what like, happened earlier..."

Vanellope smiled...

"Taffyta, it wasn't your fault. That was all Turbo's doing."

"I know I couldn't help it..." Taffyta said, sighing. "But...does what I said...what I did…does it still hurt?"

Vanellope suddenly choked a little.

"Umm...Taffyta? Maybe you'd better follow me..."

Within moments they were driving into the side of Diet Cola Mountain.

"We're going to crash!" screamed Taffyta.

"No we're not..." sighed Vanellope.

"Then why are we-oh..."

Taffyta looked completely baffled.

"There's a whole unfinished track in here...how do you…"

"This was my house for years, Taffyta. I was a hobo, remember? A little homeless glitch."

Taffyta rubbed at her eyes, as if to say "Darn it, Taffyta, don't cry..."

"Where did you sleep?" Taffyta wondered.

Vanellope ran over to the little shack she'd built, the candy wrapper blankets still there.

"This was my home." she said. "Have a seat. I don't mind."

Taffyta blushed again before sitting in the bed.

"Does it...still hurt?" she asked again.

Vanellope grew solemn. She ran a hand through her sweet-covered hair.

"Yes...it does. Sometimes, I'll be napping between the race's end and the opening of the arcade...and I'll have a nightmare that I really am a glitch...and you're tearing apart my kart again, and I'm crying because all of your friends are telling me I'll never belong...then Turbo comes along, with his Cy-Bug body and everything, and he opens his mouth wide...and it all goes black."

"I just can't...I'm so sorry! You were sleeping in what we all threw away...I'm such a bad girl!" Taffyta cried.

"Taffyta..." Vanellope started. "Look, it's... it's alright. Yes, it still hurts. But!" Vanellope tried to keep spirits and happiness up. "All of that is behind us now!"

"I know you're so willing to move on...but...I'm having a hard time." Taffyta sighed.

It was hard to blame her, really. Taffyta had always had a haughty streak, but she never really meant to be malicious. Tampered-with programming or no, the fact she had the capacity to be cruel disturbed her.

"When you were joking about executing us...I honestly felt, on some level, I deserved it. Am I really that different from Turbo? All I want to do is win...what happens if I ever grow tired? Will I end up like him?"

She paused before breathing...then a soft, gasped whisper came out.

"You won't...leave me, will you Vanellope? I...need you. You're a wonderful friend...racing without you...even if our game gets unplugged...you'll still get root beer with me at Tapper's, right?"

"Oh posh! Don't think like that!" Vanellope was always happy. That's how she always acted. "You are here for a reason, and that reason is to race! I've learned to forgive all of you, and you all are great racing partners to have as well." Vanellope pushed Taffyta's shoulder playfully.

"And of course! Root beer is my fave!"

"Darn...my makeup's running again." Taffyta weakly laughed, wiping the tears from her eyes.

She paused and then thought of something.

"T-Turbo didn't have any friends, did he? Just...opponents. Maybe if he'd known someone like you...he wouldn't have well...gone Turbo."

"Turbo is just a big meanie head, don't worry about him! He's gone now..." Vanellope trailed off.

Did Turbo have any friends? Or just enemies... Vanellope wondered.

"Well... I'm not quite sure about that, honestly. I wonder... Wait! Turbo's game got unplugged... do you think that's why he was such a meanie head? All he cared about was winning. 'Win! Win! Win!' That's all he ever cared about ever."

She stopped. "Let's just forget about it. Let's go!"

They ran to the kart and they were off.

"I know it's in the past...but, it seems parts of his tampering are still leaving me...after all, I was teasing Rancis the other day...and then I stopped myself realizing what I was doing."

She tried to stop fretting, but then a devilish little smile crept over her face.

"Oh, and Vanellope...no one else knows this, but...Rancis has a SERIOUS crush on you. I heard him say after a race: 'If I'm going to lose...I may as well lose to the sweetest girl I know...' Heh. He's so cute about it. I hear him sometimes when he's napping whispering your name."

Vanellope turned to Taffyta quickly.

"R-really? Hah! No... no way!" She let out a giggle and hopped on the kart.

"You really think he has a crush on me? Heh... well, he is pretty cute... I guess..." She smiled as her cheeks were glowing red.

"We've still got another few hours..." Taffyta said.

"Want to go to Tapper's? And maybe...you can ask Rancis to join you..."

She giggled.

As Vanellope's cheeks were glowing red she giggled.

"Hah...haha, okayyy"

They got to the start line where the other racers were chatting and waiting for the races to start. "Wait here!" Vanellope says and she walkes up to Rancis.

"Uhm, hey, Rancis." She says with a smile.

"OH! Vane...llope, hi there." Rancis says with a nervous smile. "How's it goin'?"

"Me and Taffyta were heading down to Tappers for a couple of minutes before the races start... and I was wondering if you would... like to join us?"

Rancis started to blush and with a crackling voice he said "S-sure Vanellope!"

"Alright! Follow me!"

They headed to the entrance to Sugar Rush and headed to Central Station.

Taffyta grinned wickedly as she saw Vanellope being followed by a blushing Rancis.

She decided to give the two some alone time.

"Hey, Vanellope, I'll meet you there in a minute! I forgot my eyeliner at the Bad-Anon meeting centre!"

This wasn't a lie-she had been attending Bad-Anon sessions despite Clyde and Kano's assurances. She wanted to make sure the last of Turbo's interference was gone.

That, and patch things up with Ralph.

Rancis sat beside Vanellope in Tapper's, blushing a deep shade of red and smiling at her.

"I ain't got much, Prin-er, President Vanellope, but...how about I buy you a drink?"

"Aw, Rancis, that is very sweet of you! And hey, just call me Vanellpoe, alright?" She gave him a wink and started to blush.

"A-alright, Vanellope. Hey, I'd like a root beer, and...two straws please. If, if you dont mind, Vanellope!"

She giggled. "Of course not!"

As he paid the money and got their drink, they chatted about how the races were and how things are since Turbo was gone.

"I know you're probably sick of hearing this, given how Taffyta keeps going on about it, but...just...sorry about the whole thing. To be honest, I had a suspicion something was wrong...but I didn't want to say anything because well, first of all I couldn't remember you, and secondly...Taffyta would make fun of me if I didn't."

He stirred the ice in the drink before sipping.

"I don't have a lot of money, 'cause I don't win often. But I'd do anything to win...for you. It's why I don't mind losing. It's so I can see your name up there in lights. To me...that's the most inspiring thing in the world."

Rancis blushed.

"I know I must sound syrupy sweet...but I don't care. I...just had to tell you how much you mean to me."

Taffyta slowly entered the bar, but ducked away when she heard them. She went into the washroom to fix her eyeliner, then returned...hidden just enough to hear the last part.

"Wow Rancis... I never knew you..." She giggled in between her words. "I never knew you cared so much about me... How sweet... But you are a great racer, no matter what." She smiled and blushed.

"I... I wonder if Taffyta found her makeup. Where do you think she is...?"

She took another sip from the glass as she heard footsteps from behind.

"Where do you two lovebirds think?"

Taffyta stood between them, finishing a root beer of her own.

"You can get to know each other better after closing. The race will be starting soon, and we don't want to be late for Mr. Litwak. Oh and Rancis? Sorry about earlier. I don't mean to bully you. It's...what Turbo did to me. It's taking a long time to fix my programming."

Rancis smiled.

"Aw, it's nothing, Taffyta. I know you're good, really. Tell Kano I said hi at the next Bad-Anon meeting. I've got some candy cups you can bring."

Taffyta smiled.

"I'm just glad you're my friends..."

"Of course! Now let's get goin' before the races start!"

As they ran out of Tappers and entered Game Central Station, Vanellope spotted a friend. A good friend, that she loved like a brother.

"Ralph! My main man!"

She ran to Ralph and jumped onto his shoulders.

"Vanellope! How's it going? Don't you have some races to do young lady?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it Stinkbrain." She shoved Ralph's shoulder playfully. "Anyway me and some friends were just at Tappers for a rootbeer. Wait a minute... don't you have some wrecking to do?"

"Don't worry about it, Schweetz." Ralph playfully said back.

They walked back over to where the Sugar Rush entrance was, and also standing there waiting for Vanellope was Taffyta and Rancis.

"Hey, you'd better come with us!" Taffyta called.

Ralph turned to Vanellope.

"We've just been temporarily unplugged so Mr. Litwak can do some console repairs-our labels and art are peeling, and we need a new screen and marquee. So while that's going on, Felix and I are gonna watch your race!"

"Well, hey there, Ms. Vanellope!"

Felix walked up beside Ralph.

"Aw, look, Vanellope, you've got some honeyglow in your cheeks. Meet somebody special?"

Rancis blushed again.

"Uncle Felix! Um... you could say that..." she looked at Rancis and blushed with a smile.

"Oh golly, thats adorable!" Felix said with a smile. "You know we're going to watch your races!"

"Yeah! Ralph told me. I'm very excited! We should get going though, to get ready for the races. Come on!"

They walked into Sugar Rush where the other racers were waiting.

The race began, and each of the friends thought to themselves.

Rancis began climbing the ranks.

"Vanellope...I'll win this race! I'm going to make you proud of me. I might be really shy, and dorky, and awkward, and poor...but I'm not going to let that hold me back, not anymore. I love you, Vanellope...and I'm going to win!"

Taffyta sped behind, blasting away two other racers.

"I'm not a bad guy...I'm not that good, either. But that's not bad...there's no one I'd rather be than me. And I'm not going to let some scary, washed up old jealous jellybean get to me. He might have washed the sugar off me, but that's just made me stickier! I won't stop til I'm sweet again. Kano has faith in me. Clyde has faith in me. Even Zombie has faith in me...Vanellope has faith in me!"

Ralph cheered Vanellope from the stands. But his thoughts drifted to their friendship.

"I never thought we'd be such good friends...given how we met. But hey...she's the best friend a Bad Guy like me could ask for. Someone who knows what it's like to do a thankless job. But nothing makes it all worthwhile like a friend."

Felix tipped his hat to Vanellope.

"Boy howdy, I'm just glad to see this place alright again...hopefully nobody's gonna go Turbo again. There's nothing wrong with a little game jumping. We're all friends, here. But Turbo...he was one nasty old snake in the grass, and everything he touched got that way. Why, Miss Taffyta's a downright fine young lady, but if you'd met her under King Candy, why you'd think she was the Devil himself! That's not quite fair; after all, Satan (pronounced Sateen) is a very polite guy."

The race was intense! Drivers passing each other, power-ups being used, sharp turns, crowds cheering. Thats how races were here in Sugar Rush. Vanellope sped to 1st place, and Rancis was right behind her. "Hah! I may like you, Rancis, but that doesn't mean I'll go easy on ya!"

Rancis smiled. "You're sweet. But don't think I don't have a few tricks up my sleeve."

He hit a power up box.

"HOT TAMALES!"

A few power ups had returned with Turbo's defeat.

Turbo had been a great racer.

He couldn't dodge a glorified flamethrower, however.

Soon, Vanellope felt the heat.

"Sorry, Van, but I always did have the "hots" for you, so to speak!" Rancis smiled, taking the lead.

Taffyta giggled as she blasted The Swizz out of her way.

The finish line was near in sight for Rancis.

"Oh please..." he thought, "let me win this one..."

Even though Vanellope was princess of Sugar Rush, she still never lost her glitch. She sometimes would even use it to win first place. Not this time. She felt something for Rancis. She really liked him. And she wanted him to be happy.

She glitched back to second place at the last minute as Rancis crossed the finish line in 1st place.

"Woah! I-I won? Oh man!"

Vanellope walked up to Rancis and hugged him. Rancis blushed.

"Looks like you did win, Rancis! You were lucky, though. You know I have glitches!" She pushed Rancis's shoulder and smiled.

Rancis claimed his winnings, and then hugged Vanellope.

"Oh, Vanellope..."

Taffyta smiled.

"Hey, you two can catch up later...Mr. Litwak just unlocked the door!"

They all panicked to get into place.

Rancis found himself with a note in his hands that Taffyta had slipped to him.

"See you between the Sugar-Free Lollipops after hours!-Love, Vanellope."

He grinned.

"That's a promise I'm keeping. Vanellope." he said to himself, hopping in his kart.

"See you tonight."

He'd been wondering, "When can I see you again?"

Now he knew.


	2. Bittersweet Kandy

Chapter 2: Bittersweet Candy

Rancis excitedly awaited the end of the day. The moment the last light went out in Litwak's he ran excitedly to the volcano and the two lollipops. This was it! The big date...

However, trouble was on the way for Rancis...

After the game ended, Taffyta felt a dark urge come over her...

"Oh no, oh no! I'm late!" Vanellope wanted to get a little something for Rancis's and her big date. As she ran to her kart and started it up she left her home in the palace, speeding to the lollipops.

"Vanellope?" Rancis called, wandering around. Just then, Taffyta stepped out, a mean little smirk on her face.

Rancis knew this look and panicked, looking around for Vanellope. If she didn't come soon...

"She's not showing, Rancis. She doesn't date poor losers like you."

"Y-you don't know that! S-she d-doesn't care about that! She's just running late!"

Taffyta grabbed Rancis and began dragging him up a hill.

"No, Taffyta, please, stop!"

She grinned.

"I'm going to leave her a reallly nice present...you just...hanging there."

She wedgied him 'til he screamed, then hung him on a large pop.

She whistled and every other racer came in, laughing.

"Such a loser..." Taffyta sneered, and called for Candlehead to come get him down.

"Ok, where is he-aaah!"

Candlehead was shoved into the pop, which sparked.

"That's a bomb pop, Taffyta!"

"I know..."

As Vanellope came to a stop at the finish line, she heard yelling and laughing. She looked all around and found the other racers on a hill... and Rancis... was crying.

"Woah! What's going on her-Taffyta? What are you doing?"

Her eyes met Rancis' and she felt pain.

"What are you doing? Let him go!"

"Oh, but I will! Right about...now!"

An explosion sent Rancis flying across the track...towards the gumball machines.

"Turbo-tastic!" Taffyta cackled with yellow eyes and a voice not quite her own.

Rancis saw the machines. He felt them shatter, felt glass fill his hair. He landed on the track, with gumballs ready to crush him.

"Hang on there, kid. You're safe."

At the best possible second, Wreck-It Ralph had arrived.

"Jiminy jaminy, what happened?" asked Felix, who'd tagged along, fixing up both the track and Rancis with his hammer.

"Taffyta! How could... you..."

Vanellope thought to herself. 'Turbo-tastic? No... No, that can't be...'

Vanellope ran to her kart and tried to find where ever he went.

"I have to find him... please Rancis, please be okay..."

Rancis got up, crying.

"Taffyta...Taffyta did this...everybody laughed when she humiliated me and tried to blow me up...she's right...I don't fit here. I'm just a poor, worthless racer."

He pushed Felix aside and headed for the exit.

"I'm going away. Forever. Tell Vanellope I loved her, even if I wasn't right for her. I'm going to pay a visit to Shao Kahn...see what he can do for me."

Ralph gasped.

"Felix, damage control here. I need to go get Vanellope...and Kano."

Vanellope ran into Ralph as she was trying to find where Rancis landed.

"Oh Ralph, I'm so glad I found you! What happened to Rancis?"

"Vanellope, you have to hurry. Rancis... left. He's going to find Shao Kahn. You have to help him. What got into Taffyta anyway?"

"I don't know, Ralph... but... she said… Turbo-tastic. TURBO-TASTIC, RALPH. Why did she say that? Didn't you guys take care of him?"

Sour Bill walked up to Vanellope.

"Dead code, Vanellope. Turbo stuck his presence in as King Candy. Thing is, King Candy never existed...except in development. He was going to be a secret racer on the volcano track. But, that never came to pass, 'til he took over. And all racers record "ghosts"-replays of victories. Turbo loved watching his...and saved them. Normally, they get deleted. All but one was deleted, and so...his ghost is going around possessing people, it would seem."

Within minutes, a cyborg walked up to them.

"My man Ralph got the word out. I know a guy or two who can help, but we've got no time to lose. We have to get to Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 now. Shao Kahn might not be a bad guy off hours, but he does love a fight, and he doesn't know his own strength. If Rancis challenges him...well, Fatality."

Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 was probably as far removed from Sugar Rush as you could get. It was cold and dark, and fires were the only warmth. Except in Hell. But that wasn't where Rancis was. Rancis was walking down the street looking for a certain someone...

"Shao Kahn?" he called.

"Shao Kahn, come on, I'm ready to die!"

Just then, someone grabbed him and dragged him into an alley.

"Are you completely mental, kid?"

A figure in a gas mask looked at him through dark lenses.

"Wh-who are you?" Rancis asked.

"My name is Kabal. I know Kano. And trust me; I have to keep you safe. I won't let you get killed."

"Why? Nobody likes me."

"That's where you're wrong." Kabal replied.

"W-wrong? How? Taffyta just got everyone laughing at me...Vanellope...she didn't even show."

"Something's very wrong with Taffyta. Because I've talked with Kano. This isn't like her."

"W-wrong?"

"Yeah. Very wrong." Kano strolled in, arms swinging.

"There's a girl back home that misses you, kid. But first we gotta save Taffyta, now that we've saved you. Kabal, you're one of the men I need for the job. Where's Shang Tsung?"

A flash of green, and a ponytail-sporting sorcerer appeared.

"You called, Kano?"

Kano nodded.

"Alright, guys, we've got a situation. Taffyta is possessed. Her eyes look like she's gotten a spirit taking over her."

"I can remove it." volunteered Shang Tsung.

"Who is it?" asked Kabal.

"Turbo, we think." said Kano.

"Oh, by the Emperor, why him?" asked Shang Tsung. "He'll possess me too!"

"That's where Kabal comes in. You suck out Turbo, and Kabal will scare him out of you."

"Two Fatalities...but they'll only remove Turbo..."

"So we can delete him." Kano finished.

Within minutes, they'd returned to Sugar Rush, where Ralph was barely able to hold back Taffyta.

"Tubo-tastic! Turbo-tastic!"

Shang Tsung ran in, and grabbed Taffyta's head.

"Your soul is mine!"

A yellow ghost like figure came out, and dove into Shang Tsung.

"Turbo-tastic..." the sorcerer growled, throwing skulls everywhere.

Kano cannonballed into the sorcerer, knocking him backwards, while Kabal removed his mask and screamed, scaring Turbo out.

There he stood, a ghost of data and hate, screaming only his catchphrase.

"TURBO-TASTIC!"

Rancis' abandoned cart was soon overtaken by the evil data-ghost and began to chase Vanellope.

"Turbo-tastic!"

Vanellope screamed. It was like being hunted. Taffyta would only have hurt her feelings...Turbo wanted her to die screaming...

Just then, a rush of exhaust filled the room. Sgt. Tamora Calhoun descended on her hoverboard.

"Alright, ladies, where's Turbo-tool? I'm going to rewrite his data and enjoy every second of it!"

She cocked her rifle and blew away Turbo's kart, leaving him futilely chasing Vanellope on foot.

Ralph leaped in and scooped up Vanellope, as Sour Bill led the party to the palace.

Sour Bill punched in the Konami code, opening the vault of code. This time, however, he meant no ill will to Vanellope.

Calhoun floated in.

"Show me the target."

-  
Sour Bill led Calhoun and Felix to the data.

"TURBO REPLAY" it read, but the connections to "DELETE DATA" were broken.

Calhoun filled the replay data full of holes...and just in time, too...

"Turbo-tastic" it snarled, as its hands reached for Vanellope's throat.

She screamed. "Get back, you fashion-challenged phantom!"

"Turbo-tas-" it said, flickering and vanishing.

Turbo's ghost was no more.

Felix tapped the code with his hammer, and the deletion of replays resumed.

Kano and his fellow Kombatants nodded.

"Our work here is done. It's not long before opening. Let's get back before Shao Kahn decides to lecture us on Kombat Training." Kano muttered.

They left for their own game, leaving Rancis sitting outside the palace.

Taffyta walked up to him.

"Go away..." Rancis sighed, tears in his eyes.

"I...I'm...worthless." Taffyta cried. "So...I just wanted to apologize. I'm sorry I keep calling you poor, I'm sorry I laugh at you for losing. Take these winnings...they're all from races where I laughed at you. I don't deserve them."

Six coins were added to Rancis' count.

Vanellope left Ralph's hands and ran over to Rancis.

"Rancis...I'm so sorry I was late..."

"You mean...you really were coming?"

She stared in disbelief.

"You chowderhead, of course I was coming! I might be president, but I know what it's like to be rejected! I'd never do it to you! I love you!"

She planted a big kiss on him, and he shivered with delight and embarrassment.

Sometime later, she called all the other racers together.

"Listen up. I don't know if it was Turbo's influence or not, but if I catch ANY of you laughing at or tormenting another racer, especially if he or she's been bullied before, I swear, I WILL lock you up in the Fungeon."

The other racers nodded.

Calhoun and Felix waved goodbye as they flew off...Ralph followed.

That left Rancis and Vanellope together-Taffyta had decided not to race and instead would go sit in Bad-Anon while Pac-Man was undergoing maintenance. Clyde would know what to say.

"So, uh...Miss Vanellope..." Rancis struggled to speak.

Whatever else he might have said was cut off by Vanellope kissing him again.

"Aw, Rancis, you don't need to say a thing." she said, once she'd finished.

Rancis' eyes brightened.

"I want to, though. I love you..." he said.

"Good enough for me."


	3. Not Bad--Not Bad At All

Chapter 3: Not Bad…Not Bad At All

Taffyta sat in the Bad-Anon building, sipping juice. She felt awful. Her arms felt like lead, hanging at her sides. She sipped the juice but only felt the acid, not the sugar. Her hat didn't sit right, and her makeup didn't either.

But it was nothing, she felt, compared to what she'd done to Rancis Fluggerbutter.

He'd wanted to kill himself. He'd become convinced he was worthless and useless.

And it was all her fault.

"It's not your fault, you know." A voice spoke, deep and reassuring.

Taffyta's makeup-smeared eyes looked up at a figure standing in the doorway—her old friend and support at Bad-Anon, Kano.

"Turbo's ghost was controlling you. There was nothing you could have done, Taffyta."

She sipped her drink sadly.

"I guess so…but I hurt him…so much. And I didn't even properly apologize. I didn't try to comfort him. I just gave him some coins and ran off, crying."

Kano knelt beside her.

"Can I tell you a story from my own game, Taffyta?"

She nodded.

"Johnny Cage is a movie star, and a pretty stuck-up and bratty one, when the game's being played. But during the game, it's established he was the first to lead the charge against Shao Kahn and nearly died because of it. Also, there's Kabal. Now, in game, I lead the Black Dragon crime organization, and Kabal was part of it until he had a change of a heart, becoming a hero against Shao Kahn's forces."

"B-but that's just a story…"  
"Stories are powerful, though. Just ask Ralph, or Felix. It might be all programmed, but that doesn't make it meaningless."

Taffyta considered this.

"B-but I cared only about winning…so did Turbo."  
Kano raised his eyebrow.

"Wanting to win isn't a crime, Taffyta. The thing about Turbo is, he took it too far. There's winning…and then there's going Turbo. I got here after the whole incident, but the thing is…in our game, we know that might happen. After all, Mortal Kombat does concern victory. Shao Kahn, when the game's off, takes us aside and discusses what it means to be a Kombatant. We have a few rules: Only do harm within the rules of the game; it doesn't matter who wins in the end, all that matters is the player's enjoyment; and finally, no matter what happens, we're all friends."

Clyde drifted in.

"How's the girl doing, Kano?"

Kano faintly smiled.

"I'm doing what I can for her, Clyde."

Clyde turned to him.

"I told Shao Kahn what you were up to when I saw him in Tapper's. He's proud of you. Says you're a true Kombatant."

Clyde then floated to Taffyta.

"You're hurting still, aren't you?"

Taffyta nodded, taking a donut from behind her and eating it.

"What happened to Rancis was absolutely horrifying. But you need to realize it wasn't your fault. You couldn't control yourself, could you?"

The young girl shook her head.

"I-I couldn't. I felt like…a puppet, like someone else was pulling the strings, and taking the worst stuff about me and making it worse…like a bad cartoon."

Clyde nodded.

"Anything else you wanted to share, Taffyta?"

She nodded, a tear falling into her now-empty juice cup.

"I saw his eyes. I'd never seen them so full of tears…he felt like no one loved him. He's always been really insecure about being poor and not being so good at racing, and then insecure about what Vanellope thinks of him, so what did Turbo have me go after? All of that. Turbo made me tell Rancis that Vanellope couldn't love him. That's the worst thing I did…unwillingly. I still feel bad about breaking Vanellope's kart, back then. I felt something telling me something was off, but I never listened to it."

Satan flickered into the room.

"Taffyta, you might have a little bit of a haughty streak, but then again, so do a lot of game characters. I mean, look at me. But the best thing you can do is just check yourself. Being proud of yourself isn't bad, even if you're a Bad Guy. But take it too far, and you go Turbo. You know what I think? I think you should go talk to Rancis."

"He won't talk to me, probably…"

"Then bring Vanellope with you. He'll listen to her. She knows you were being controlled."

"Th-thanks, Satan."

"Please, call me Sateen." He smiled and left.

"I-I think I'm ready to go face him." She said to Clyde and Kano. "Just one thing…why the whole 'Sateen' thing? I've always wondered."

Clyde spoke up.

"There was a lot of 'Satanic Panic' in the 80s, and when his game, Satan's Hollow, got plugged in…many parents raised a huge fuss. He likes to downplay it these days. Never felt comfortable with the idea that he was 'corrupting children'. He likes kids—he's a kid at heart."

Taffyta nodded.

"I just thought of something I wanted to tell you. You're not bad, and that's good. You're not Good, but you're not bad. Never lose sight of who you are, Taffyta. You'll always be a star in everyone's hearts if you just 'stay sweet'."

She smiled.

"Th-that's what I say…Alright! I'm going back to Sugar Rush! I'm going to patch things up with Rancis."

Rancis was in fact, not alone back in Sugar Rush. Vanellope was already comforting him, ruffling his hair, and the other racers were apologizing.

"Taffyta…She's not coming, is she?" Rancis wondered.

Vanellope looked off into the distance with sadness on her face.

"Hey, don't count me out, Rancis."

Taffyta showed up beside Rancis, and put a hand lightly on his.

"Rancis…I'm so, so sorry about everything! Sorry if I couldn't have apologized better…congratulations on your win! I just wish I could have been better and not hurting you all the while."

"Hey, that's just Turbo's fault." Rancis smiled. "I'm just glad you're finally here!"

"Glad? After all that?"

Vanellope ran over and pressed a button.

"How can we have a party?" Rancis asked, a huge grin on his face, as confetti and streamers flew everywhere.

Taffyta found herself smiling in spite of the tears drying on her face.

"You're free now, Taffyta. We're all free from Turbo, and I got a first place win, so why not celebrate?" Rancis asked.

Vanellope smiled.

"I brought some friends, too." She said.

Felix, Ralph, Sgt. Calhoun, Kano, Kabal, Shao Kahn, the Nicelanders, Clyde, and Satan were all waving and Q*Bert brought in a cake with Peter Pepper's help. Candlehead lent her flame to light the candles.

"Hey, listen up." Vanellope spoke into a microphone.

Everyone turned to look.

"Rancis has something to say." She passed the microphone to him, kissing him on the cheek.

One fit of blushing later, Rancis spoke up.

"Today, a lot happened. Races were won, and some pretty nasty stuff happened too. But I'm not here to talk about that. I'm here to say that finally, Sugar Rush is rid of Turbo, and we can all be friends again. We were meant to be friends, but all the time, he got in the way, and drove a wedge between us."

His choice of words caused a brief grimace from Taffyta.

"So, let's forget what he did. It doesn't matter! We're all sweet people, I know that! And there's a girl standing beside me who reminded me of that."

Vanellope blushed.

"Come here." Rancis smiled, and offered his hand.

"Yuck, can we skip the formalities?" Vanellope quipped, kissing him.

"If you wanted a kiss, all you had to do was ask, cutie." She teased.

There was thunderous applause, especially from Taffyta and her Kombatant friends.

Sour Bill scampered up beside them with a flat "Yay."

Some things never changed.


End file.
